Dan and I will prep y'all with a strategy for drafting from any spot in the order (picks 1-12) on Beyond The Boxscore within the next couple of weeks, so be on the lookout for that! I'm waiting for average draft position data to settle a bit -- currently, ADP fluctuates wildly from site to site. We're still making our way out of Best Ball summer and into season-long drafts, and ADP reflects that. Preseason injuries/news will shake things up, too.
Still, I want to provide a glimpse at my (still developing) 2026 draft strategy for anyone with early drafts.
QB strategy
First of all, check out the Beyond the Boxscore QB strategy playlist: QB Advice BTB Playlist
Also: Avoid the green goblin mask. I know that Josh Allen in Round 4 feels too good to pass up. I know that Jayden Daniels in Round 6 feels like stealing. I've done a ton of drafts this summer, and by far, my favorites have been the ones where I waited as long as possible to select a QB.
You can find my 2026 QB rankings here (and here are Superflex rankings, if you need those! I shift "safe" QBs up the board in superflex, while riskier picks like Malik Willis and Kyler Murray move down). You'll notice I'm well above consensus on several late-round quarterbacks -- Murray, Willis, Baker Mayfield, and Jared Goff, to name a few.
RB strategy
First of all, check out the Beyond the Boxscore RB strategy playlist: RB Advice BTB Playlist
Also: I love to leave the first three rounds with at least two running backs. Javonte Williams and D'Andre Swift are fine Round 4 picks, by my estimation, if you feel a need to add security. Cam Skattebo is worth a dice roll in Round 4, if you can tolerate some risk. I like both Bucky Irving and Bhayshul Tuten as Round 5 upside shots, preferably as RB3/FLEX options. David Montgomery is the Round 5 version of Skattebo, on paper. Skattebo's injury recovery makes him feel riskier, while Montgomery offers less receiving upside. They're bets on massive volume, but their offenses and/or lack of explosive plays might cap their ultimate ceiling.
Other than Jonathon Brooks, I prefer entirely avoiding the RB position in Rounds 6-9. Jaylen Warren and Rachaad White are okay depth pieces, if your early-round RB runout was less than ideal. In the later rounds, I like to grab multiple backup running backs who could produce if there's an injury in their backfield. I highlighted some breakout RB picks in this thread, where you'll also find 60 different RBs ranked.
WR strategy
First of all, check out the Beyond the Boxscore WR strategy playlist: WR Advice BTB Playlist
Also: After the top-three running backs are off the board, there are a bunch of receivers that look like great Round 1 picks. In Round 2, I generally avoid the position -- with A.J. Brown being an occasional exception. Rounds 3-6 offer a bunch of enticing league-winning candidates at WR. And while I know the hit rate is lower in Rounds 7-11, there are a ton of WR names that I like in that range.
TE strategy
First of all, check out the Beyond the Boxscore TE strategy playlist: TE Advice BTB Playlist
Also: I prefer to wait at TE, but I'm more willing to take early- or mid-round shots at this position than at QB. I'll grab a falling Brock Bowers, but I have him ranked 23rd overall. I don't reach for him, even if I am curious about the upside case. The same is true for Colston Loveland. He's my 34th ranked player. If he falls, I draft Loveland. There are lots of players who I have ranked above him often available in Round 3.
My most-drafted TE range is one that often gives us busts -- the dreaded mid-round TE has me intrigued in 2026. Sam LaPorta feels extremely mispriced. I have him ranked 53rd overall, but LaPorta is often available outside of the top-75 picks. I like Tucker Kraft nearly as much as LaPorta. Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin Jr. are both valid picks, in my opinion. It's very unlikely that all of these players succeed, but the same can be said for most of the WR/RB picks in this range.
For those wondering -- yes, I am okay double-dipping -- drafting both Warren and Josh Downs or both Kraft and Christian Watson/Jayden Reed is fine by me. Do those players feel like good picks to you? Draft them, then. You're not going to hit on every single pick. If these feel like solid bets to hit, then why overthink it?
In the later rounds, I really like the ADP value provided by Dallas Goedert. He's my fall-back option if I miss out on the tight ends we just discussed. Beyond the Box Score listeners probably already know that Gunnar Helm (dude was lowkey really good as a rookie) and Terrance Ferguson (it takes some imagination, but it sure is fun!) are primed for Year 2 breakouts, in my opinion. Oronde Gadsden II is a fun late-round dart throw if you have ample bench space to wait-and-see. My favorite late-round glue guy at TE is Brenton Strange. He probably won't deliver massive upside, but Strange is a good player in a good offense and is pretty much free in Fantasy Football drafts.
2026 Top-175 Overall (Half-PPR)
Bonus 2026 Player Hot(ish?)* Takes
Favorite Round 2 picks - CeeDee Lamb, Omarion Hampton (player profile), Kenneth Walker (player profile)
Favorite Round 3 picks - A.J. Brown, George Pickens, Malik Nabers, Emeka Egbuka (player profile), Jeremiyah Love (player profile)
Favorite Round 4 picks - Zay Flowers (player profile), Ladd McConkey, Colston Loveland (player profile), Cam Skattebo, Luther Burden (player profile)
Favorite Sleeper - Josh Downs (player profile)
Favorite Breakout - Bhayshul Tuten (player profile)
